The Biblical Doctrine of God

By Cky J. Carrigan, Ph.D.

Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church

Raleigh, North Carolina (3/28/04)

 

Current Challenges

 

  • Eastern Religions (Hinduism & Buddhism)>Pantheism, Non-Personal God

 

  • New Age Movement> Pantheism, Panentheism, Non-Personal God

 

  • Islam>Non-Trinitarian, Volitionalism

 

  • Mormonism>Non-Trinitarian, Polytheism & Materialism

 

  • Jehovah’s Witnesses>Non-Trinitarian

 

  • Oneness Pentecostals>Non-Trinitarian

 

  • Open Theism>God does not have certain    knowledge about future events

 

What is God Like?

 

I.      God is Transcendent (Jer 23:24; Isa 6: 1; 55: 8-9).

 

A.    God transcends, is beyond, is outside, is superior to …. Creation.

 

B.    An example of the transcendence of God is      the act of Creation from outside it.

 

o              Deism and the Islamic view of God are two examples of a kind of “God” who is more transcendent than the Christian view of God.

 

II.     God is Immanent (Isa 6:3).

 

A.    God is present and active within His Creation.

 

B.    An example of the immanence of God is the     incarnation of God in Christ.

 

o        Pantheism, the Eastern Religions, and Earth-based Religions are examples of a kind of “God” that is more immanent than the Christian view of God.

 

III.    God is not EITHER Transcendent OR Immanent, BUT God is BOTH Transcendent     AND Immanent.

 

IV.   The Natural Attributes of God (God is Great).

 

       A.    God is essentially Spirit (Jn 4:24; Jn 1:18; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:15-16).

 

       B.    God is Alive (Brute Existence) (Ex 3:14; Heb 11:6).

 

       C.   God is Personal (Ex 3:14; Gen 3) (God knows, feels, wills, acts).

 

       D.   God is Infinite (Unlimited).

 

               1.    God is NOT limited by Space (Omnipresent) (Ps 139: 7-12).

 

               2.    God is NOT limited by Time (Eternal) (Ps 90:1-2; Jude 25).

 

               3.    God is NOT limited in Knowledge (Omniscient) (Ps 147:5).

 

               4.    God is NOT limited in Power (Omnipotent) (Gen 17:1; Mat 19:26).

 

       E.    God is Constant (Immutable, Unchanging) (Ps 102: 26-27; Mal 3:6).

V.    The Moral Attributes of God (God is Good).

 

A.    God is Morally Pure.

 

1.    God is Holy (totally separate from creation, & absolutely pure and good).

 

2.    God is Righteous (measure’s up to His own standard).

 

3.    God is Just (fair in the administration of His law).

 

       B.    God is Integral (He has integrity, is truthful).

 

               1.    God is Genuine (is true, real, not fabricated, not an illusion).

 

               2.    God is Veracious (tells the truth).

 

               3.    God is Faithful (proves true, keeps all promises).

 

       C.   God is Loving.

 

               1.    God is Benevolent (cares for and provides for those He loves).

 

               2.    God is Gracious (deals with man on the basis of His love, not man’s merit or worth).

 

               3.    God is Merciful (tenderhearted toward needy).

 

4.    God is Persistent (patient to withhold judgment while continuing to offer salvation).

 

·        God’s Love and Moral Purity are NOT in conflict. The atonement of Christ is God’s great act of Love that also satisfies His Moral Purity.

 

VI.   Neither God’s Power or Benevolence are compromised by the existence of Evil.

VII.  The Tri-Unity of God (Three-ness & One-ness).

 

       A.    Six Proposition that form the Doctrine of the Tri-Unity of God.

 

               1.    The Father is God (1 Cor 8:4, 6; 1 Tim 2:5-6).

 

               2.    The Son is God (Jn 1; Heb 1; Col 1; Phil 2).

 

               3.    The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5; Jn 14-16; Mat 28:19).

 

               4.    God is ONE (Ex 20:2-3; Deut 6:4; James 2:19).

 

               5.    The Bible is True and Truth Does not Contradict Itself.

 

               6.    The Tri-Unity is a Unique Mystery with NO Exact Analogy.

 

       B.    The Doctrine of the Tri-Unity of God is NOT…

 

               1.    Three Gods with one Purpose only (Mormonism).

 

               2.    One God known by three titles: Father, Son, H.S., (Like one man known as Father, Son and Brother).

 

               3.    One whole God that can be divided into     three absolutely distinct parts (Like an Egg or a Pie).

 

4.   One God in three “Modes,” “Manifestations” or “Forms” (like water found in three states of matter: liquid, solid, gas). This view is the view of Oneness Pentecostalism, United Pentecostal Church and T. D. Jakes.

 

               5.    Expressed well by Formula 1 x 1 x 1 = 1.

 

               6.    Expressed well by the Formula 3=1.

      

C.   The Doctrine of the Tri-Unity of God is best Expressed by the Formula 3 & 1, (God is Three Personal Consciousnesses AND One God).

 

1.    God is Three with reference to “Personal Consciousness” …

 

       a.    The Eternal Personal Consciousness of the Father.

 

       b.    The Eternal Personal Consciousness of the Son.

 

       c.    The Eternal Personal Consciousness of the Holy Spirit.

 

2.    God is One with reference to Essence (Being or Nature).